Hague residents share food and supplies with neighbors
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Jolanda Fasseur of The Hague, Netherlands, began providing groceries to people in need from a small cabinet she set up on Valkenboskade street.
Neighbors noticed and contributed, growing the effort into Stichting Initiatief Buurtkast Valkenbos, a foundation with a team of volunteers and donations from local businesses. Fasseur received the Hague Volunteer Prize in 2024, which increased awareness of the project citywide.
Fasseur focuses on assisting families with incomes just above the threshold for assistance programs, noting they often struggle to afford necessities. She distributes donated items, including cleaning supplies and food, through Facebook and the Hoplr neighborhood app, ensuring everything is quickly collected by those who need it. The foundation also plans to host a Christmas party at Weimar’s Wijkpaleis, a local community center, providing attendees with food packages.
Fasseur hopes to secure a dedicated space for storing donations and serving meals, as her home is currently filled with supplies. The group emphasizes reciprocal care, encouraging people to contribute what they can, time, energy, or resources, and welcomes both those offering help and those seeking it.
